ANALYSIS of the 2021 census shows that Ireland is now the 5th largest provider of migrants to England and Wales, dropping from a position of number one in 2001.
According to the British Office of National Statistics (ONS) in the twenty years between 2001 and 2021, Ireland slipped from first place in 2001 to fourth in 2011 and now lie in 5th place at the country of origin fro immigration to England and Wales.
According to the ONS there has been a decrease in the number of people identifying their ethnic group as “White: Irish”, from 531,000 (0.9 per cent) in 2011 to 507,465 (0.9 per cent) in 2021.
Ireland retained its position in the top 10 between 2011 and 2021, but was the country for which there was the greatest decrease, a decline of 20.3 per cent.
Nearly a third of the 507,465 usual residents who identified their ethnic group as “White: Irish” were aged 65 years and over (32.1 per cent), substantially older than the overall population of England and Wales of which nearly a fifth (18.6 per cent) were in this age group. A higher percentage of “White: Irish” females were aged 65 years and over (35.4 per cent) compared with males (28.7 per cent).
According to the ONS, the three most common non-UK countries of birth for usual residents in 2021 were the same as in 2011:
India, which has increased to 920,000 (1.5 per cent of the population in England and Wales), up from 694,000 in 2011
Poland, which has increased to 743,000 (1.2 per cent), up from 579,000 in 2011
Pakistan, which has increased to 624,000 (1.0 per cent), up from 482,000 in 2011
Ireland is in 5th place behind Romania.